What are Amino Acids and Why They Are Essential

What Are Amino Acids Good For?
Do we need them to survive?

What are amino acids used for in the body?

What are amino acids used for? Amino acids are the ‘building blocks’that make up protein. Proteins are essential to life. It is protein that provides the structure for all living things. Every living organism is composed of protein.

Proteins are a necessary for every cell in your body. Next to water, protein holds the biggest amount of your body weight. Proteins make up the muscles, ligaments, tendons, nails, and hair. It is needed for the growth and healing of bone tissue.
Protein helps your body’s water level and proper pH. Proteins give you energy.

Without a balanced diet you can become protein (and amino acid) deficient. Your body can’t store amino acids so will break down its own muscle to get the needed amino acids. We think we’re getting enough of aminos from our food, but most of the time we are not. Amino acids are necessary for red and white blood cells to be rebuilt and for healthy bone marrow. Each protein in the body is tailored for a specific need.

The body uses amino acids that are broken down from the foods we eat to build the proteins it needs. So it’s the amino acids rather than protein that are the essential nutrients.
Clear as mud?

Amino acids allow vitamins and minerals to do their jobs correctly. Without enough amino acids it can bring about iron deficiency, autoimmune issues, allergy problems and even depression.

What are Amino Acids versus Essential Amino Acids?

There are approximately 28 commonly known amino acids. The essential amino acids are those that the body cannot make enough of itself. The nine essential amino acids are histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylaline, threinine, tryptophan, and valine . Their best sources are meat, fish, fowl, eggs and dairy products. Cystine is essential for children. The nonessential amino acids are alanine, arginine, asparagine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, glutamine, glycine, proline, serine and taurine.

What are amino acids and what if we are depleted?

If we become bankrupt of any of the essential amino acids, our body could not make proteins. If even one essential amino acid is missing, our body won’t work the right way.

Side effects of a body deficient in amino acids include: Low energy, slow metabolism, obesity, sleeping problems, chronic fatigue, digestive issues, hair loss or skin disease, and stress. Worse symptoms include malnutrition, and buildup of toxins in your blood. So you can see, a balanced intake of amino acids is vital!